Opportunity Information: Apply for DHS 16 PD 120 001
Apply for DHS 16 PD 120 001
- The Department of Homeland Security, Office of Procurement Operations - Grants Division in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 97.120.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 06, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 05, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project (Funding Opportunity Number DHS 16 PD 120 001) was a discretionary grant offered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, through the Office of Procurement Operations - Grants Division. The purpose of the award was to fund a single, time-bound demonstration project focused on improving medical communications in rural settings, especially for emergencies and large-scale disasters where reliable, interoperable communication can directly affect patient outcomes and coordination across jurisdictions.
At the heart of the opportunity was the idea that emergency preparedness is not just a job for traditional first responders, but a shared responsibility across the "whole community." That framing aligns with Presidential Policy Directive 8, which pushes national preparedness efforts to include many more partners across different levels of government and sectors. The opportunity also tied directly to the 2014 National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP), which highlights how emergency communications are changing due to new technologies, evolving policies, and the growing involvement of stakeholders who have historically been outside the core emergency response communications environment. In practical terms, DHS was signaling that modern incidents require faster and more structured information-sharing not only among police, fire, and EMS, but also with public health departments, hospitals and clinics, transportation agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and sometimes even the public.
A key problem the grant sought to address was the communications gap that often shows up during complex incidents, especially in rural areas where infrastructure limitations, distance, and staffing constraints can make coordination harder. The description points out that responders are increasingly connected, but not always trained for every type of event they encounter. Even so, they can still provide important situational awareness during response and recovery if communications systems and procedures allow that information to move to the right place quickly. The medical side of this is especially sensitive: medical providers need reliable systems and repeatable procedures to transmit patient information and manage coordination when patient numbers surge, such as after a mass casualty event or a widespread disaster. The project emphasis was not simply on buying equipment, but on demonstrating how communications capabilities and trained personnel can be organized to produce coordinated, effective medical response under real-world rural constraints.
In terms of who could apply, eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. This indicates DHS likely expected an academic partner to design, implement, test, and evaluate the demonstration in a structured way, potentially in collaboration with rural EMS agencies, hospitals, emergency management, and other community partners. The funding instrument type was a grant, and the activity category was listed under Science and Technology and other Research and Development, reinforcing that the deliverable was meant to be a demonstration with learning value, evidence, and potentially a model that could be scaled or replicated.
The award structure was straightforward: DHS anticipated making one award, with a maximum funding level (award ceiling) of $2,000,000. The opportunity was posted on July 6, 2016, with an original application closing date of August 5, 2016. The CFDA listing was 97.120. Overall, the grant can be understood as a focused DHS investment to prove out a workable approach to rural emergency medical communications, grounded in national preparedness policy, and aimed at improving interoperability, patient information flow, and coordinated medical surge response when disasters stress rural systems.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project?
The Rural Emergency Medical Communications Demonstration Project was a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to fund a single, time-bound demonstration project focused on improving medical communications in rural settings, especially during emergencies and large-scale disasters.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DHS 16 PD 120 001.
Which DHS office offered this grant?
The opportunity was offered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through the Office of Procurement Operations - Grants Division.
What was the main purpose of the project?
The purpose was to demonstrate a workable approach to improving rural emergency medical communications, with an emphasis on reliable and interoperable communication that can improve patient outcomes and coordination across jurisdictions during complex incidents.
Was this funding intended for equipment purchases or for a demonstration approach?
The emphasis was not simply on buying equipment. The grant was focused on demonstrating how communications capabilities and trained personnel can be organized and used with repeatable procedures to produce coordinated, effective medical response under real-world rural constraints.
How many awards did DHS plan to make under this opportunity?
DHS anticipated making one award.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The maximum funding level (award ceiling) was $2,000,000.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
Why were institutions of higher education the only eligible applicants?
Based on the way the opportunity is framed as a demonstration with learning value, evidence, and potential for replication, DHS likely expected an academic partner to design, implement, test, and evaluate the project in a structured way, potentially in collaboration with rural EMS and other community partners.
What type of funding instrument was used?
The funding instrument type was a grant.
What was the activity category for this grant?
The activity category was listed under Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
What kinds of problems was the project trying to address in rural areas?
The project aimed to address communications gaps that often arise during complex incidents in rural areas, where infrastructure limitations, long distances, and staffing constraints can make coordination harder, particularly when multiple jurisdictions and partners are involved.
Why does medical communications receive special emphasis in this opportunity?
Medical communications are especially sensitive because providers need reliable systems and repeatable procedures to transmit patient information and coordinate care when patient numbers surge, such as during mass casualty events or widespread disasters.
What does DHS mean by interoperability in the context of this project?
Interoperability is presented as the ability for communications and information-sharing to function reliably across different agencies and jurisdictions so that critical medical and situational information can move to the right place quickly during response and recovery.
What is meant by the "whole community" approach mentioned in the opportunity?
The "whole community" approach frames emergency preparedness as a shared responsibility beyond traditional first responders, encouraging broader participation across levels of government and sectors, consistent with the national preparedness direction described in Presidential Policy Directive 8.
How does this grant connect to national preparedness policies and plans?
The opportunity aligns with Presidential Policy Directive 8 (which emphasizes inclusive national preparedness) and ties directly to the 2014 National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP), which highlights changing emergency communications due to new technologies, evolving policies, and a wider set of stakeholders.
Which stakeholders did DHS highlight as increasingly important to emergency communications?
In addition to police, fire, and EMS, DHS highlighted the growing need to share information with public health departments, hospitals and clinics, transportation agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and sometimes even the public.
What kinds of incidents were specifically emphasized?
The description emphasizes emergencies and large-scale disasters, including complex incidents and situations involving medical surge, such as mass casualty events or widespread disasters that strain rural systems.
What role can responders play even if they are not trained for every event type?
The opportunity notes that responders are increasingly connected but may not be trained for every type of event; still, they can provide important situational awareness during response and recovery if communications systems and procedures enable that information to be shared quickly and effectively.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on July 6, 2016, and the original application closing date was August 5, 2016.
What is the CFDA number associated with this grant?
The CFDA listing was 97.120.
Is this opportunity described as time-bound?
Yes. The award was intended to fund a single, time-bound demonstration project.
What kind of outcome was DHS aiming for?
DHS aimed to fund a focused investment to prove out a workable approach to rural emergency medical communications, improving interoperability, patient information flow, and coordinated medical surge response when disasters stress rural systems.
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